One million pennies collected for Uxbridge’s Josh Morrison

Goal remains to collect 10 million pennies for Habitat for Humanity Durham

Penny House campaign

Submitted Photo

UXBRIDGE -- Josh Morrison, left, and his brother Aaron, right, checked out some of the more than one million pennies that have been collected in the last year as part of Habitat for Humanity Durham's Penny House campaign. May 27, 2014

UXBRIDGE -- One million down and nine million more to go for Uxbridge’s Josh Morrison as he continues to strive towards his goal of raising $100,000 for Habitat for Humanity Durham’s Penny House campaign.

Since launching the campaign a year ago, 12-year-old Josh has spearheaded the donation of more than 1.06 million pennies to the cause with a goal of 10 million pennies, as he attempts to raise enough to build one home at Habitat Durham’s Centre-Towne in Oshawa.

While finding pennies some 15 months after they were taken out of circulation has posed a bit of a challenge, any coin or bill will be accepted as a donation.

Though Josh continues to be the face of the initiative, he has received plenty of help in his fundraising efforts from people in Uxbridge and the surrounding communities.

Public schools in Uxbridge and Stouffville ran penny drives, collecting more than 225,000 cents, while many businesses and restaurants in Uxbridge and Port Perry have collection tins beside their cash registers.

Uxbridge’s Chamber of Commerce invited Josh to speak at a meeting in hopes of garnering some support and several clubs and churches have supported the campaign too.

Additionally, Newmarket products manufacturer Hollister Inc. raised more than 100,000 cents and has challenged other businesses to run similar campaigns to meet or beat its total.

This summer Josh will take the campaign to Elgin Park as part of the festivities during the annual RibFest event July 18 to 20.

Between now and then Josh encourages everyone to chip in what they can.

“They can donate two dollars to the Penny House, and get three friends to do the same thing. Everyone can afford two dollars,” he says, while adding the support people have offered throughout the last year has been outstanding.

“Everyone has been so generous, and I really appreciate it. Every penny does count,” he adds.

Donations can also be made online under the ‘Josh’s Penny House Campaign’ tab at www.habitatdurham.com/donations while Habitat’s “Penny House” account is at the Uxbridge TD Bank in the Vince’s plaza. The account number is 5240588, branch #3184. Coins may be taken to any TD bank to be deposited into the Penny House Fund using the account information.